126 



THE OOLOGIST 



BIRDS OF HARNEY VALLEY, AND 

 MALHEUR LAKE REGION, OREGON 



The following list of birds were ob- 

 served by me during my visit to this 

 locality from May 25 to June 15, 1921, 

 and being during the height of the 

 breeding season, no doubt all of them 

 nest in this locality. 



No. 1. Aechnophorus occidentalis. 

 Western Grebe. A dozen pair of this 

 beautiful Grebe seen during my stay, 

 but breeding grounds not located. 



No. 4. Colymbus nigricallis cal, 

 American Eared Grebe. Very com- 

 mon, breeding in colonies on the 

 small tulie islands out in the lake. 

 Nest made of dried tulies, fastened to 

 green tulies and floating on the water. 

 Eggs 4 to 6 in number. 



No. 6. Podilymbus podiceps, Pied 

 Billed Grebe. Quite common on all 

 parts of the lake. 



No. 53. Larus californucus, Cali- 

 fornia Gull. Very common, breeding 

 far out in the lake on the tulie 

 islands. Found nesting in the Peli- 

 can colony. Nest a slight depression 

 in ground lined with dried grass and 

 tulies. Eggs two in number. 



No. 54. Larus delawarensis. Ring- 

 billed Gull. About as common as the 

 Cal. Gull, and nesting in colonies with 

 them. 



No. 60. Larus Philadelphia, Bona- 

 parte's Gull. 25 birds seen out on the 

 lake on June 5, and too early for nests. 



No. 69. Sterna forsteri, Forster's 

 Tern. One of the most common and 

 beautiful Terns found here, breeding 

 out in the lake on the numerous 

 islands, and nest contained four eggs. 



No. 77. Hydrochelidon nigra suri- 

 namensis, Black Tern. Very common 

 and breeding in colonies far out in the 

 lake. 



No. 120c. Phalacrocorax a albocilia- 

 tus, Farallone Cormorant. Quite com- 

 mon. Found nesting in the Great 

 Blue Heron colony. Pelican and Egret 



colony. The nests were usually 

 elevated some 18 to 24 inches above 

 tha ground, and contained from 4 to 5 

 eggs. 



No. 125. Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, 

 American White Pelican. Large col- 

 ony of some 250 birds nesting on 

 island in the southeastern part of the 

 lake. Eggs and young birds in all 

 stages of growth up to half grown 

 were found. Eggs, two in number, 

 rarely three. 



No. 132. Anas Platyrhynchor, Mal- 

 lard. Not very common, but a number 

 of pair seen, and one nest of 11 eggs 

 found on the banks of the Blitzen 

 River. Nest was a huge bulky affair 

 made of dried tulies, and lined with 

 feathers. 



135. Chaulelasmus streperus, Ga'd- 

 wall. Much more common than the 

 Mallard and breeding in large num- 

 bers in the grass fields and marshes 

 around the lake. Nest made of dried 

 grass lined with feathers and con- 

 tained eight eggs. 



141. Querquedula cyanoptera, Cinna- 

 mon Teal. The most abundant breed- 

 er of the Duck family found in this 

 region. Nesting in the open wild 

 grass meadows and along the rivers in 

 large numbers. Found over 50 nests 

 in a 100-acre field. The clutch ranges 

 from 6 to 10 eggs. Nest ma'de of 

 dried grass and lined with down, which 

 covers the eggs when the bird leaves 

 the nest. Nesting in June. 



No. 143. Dafila acuta, Pintail. 

 Numerous pairs seen and appeared to 

 be about as common as the Mallard. 



No. 146. MaTila americana. Red- 

 head Duck. Quite common. A dozen 

 pairs seen but no nests located. 



No. 147. Marila valisineria, Can- 

 vasback Duck. A number of pairs 

 seen near the borders of the lake and 

 no doubt breeding. 



No. 167. Erismatura jamaicensis. 

 Ruddy Duck. Quite numerous far out 

 on the borders of the lake. 



